This site is dedicated to educate anyone who will listen to what is really behind the curtains of the Twelve Tribes. If you or a love one is considering interacting with this group, please read through this website and the attached links first.

How do you know if a group is a cult?

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

The Twelve Tribes leadership will tell you that every instance of child abuse within the Edah (church) is due to ignorant members who "misunderstood and inappropriately applied" Sprigg's teachings. One such leader told me in a conversation on FactNet, specifically, "Many people have received help for trying to apply spiritual principles without love because of the fear of doing wrong and unfortunately they end up doing wrong anyway. One cannot apply spiritual principles without love."

The major problem is the head of this organization, Elbert Eugene Spriggs is unable to "man up" and admit that he caused the abuses to happen through his teachings and example. Eddie Wiseman, Spriggs' second in command drove these teaching home and had a key role in "teaching" through demonstration how to administer them.

Yoneq (Elbert Eugene Spriggs) is the person who wrote the teaching "Execution of Justice" which I published last night. He was the one who lead by example in that teaching by telling a story where he beat little two year old Lydia Mattattall (who will be shown in the video below) who he had taken from her mother and father to be his and Marsha's own child since she was barren. They took Lydia to Europe to avoid her return to her father which a court had ordered.

In his teaching, Spriggs brags that she had been beaten until she bore the "brand marks of Yahshua" all over her body. He did this because she refused to give her thumb to him to "cut-off" with a huge pair of scissors. She finally succumbed and presented her thumb to him (to stop the beatings). This is an example of physical and mental torture of a child by the self proclaimed apostle! So when you combine this teaching with the method of thought and behavior control the group administers where members are expected to obey without question Spriggs' commands, how could they expect anything but child abuse to occur?

Over time, due to the intense pressure from media and government officials, the group has toned down their methods and teachings on beating children. And now they parade parents and children in front of the public who have been brainwashed into thinking abuses never happened, it was all just lies told by the "evil one" through his "agents" on the "outside". This is all evidence of classic thought and behavior control techniques. The Twelve Tribes should not be allowed to rewrite history and continue to spread their lies. Therefore, I publish the following teachings and video testimony to remind people what really happened in this community of fear and oppression. Watch the following video but with your "outside" eyes and remember, Spriggs' teaches that it is ok to lie to "outsiders":

Channel 5 - Chronicle

Let me highlight two key points from the video: 1. Eddie Wiseman pleads to stop the charges of child abuse (he wants the pressure to end) 2. He makes a blatant misrepresentation of the facts around the Island Pond VT raid. He says the judge "found no evidence of abuse and dropped the charges". That is not true. The judge found the raid to be unconstitutional, which it was, and therefore dropped the charges. Government officials were unable therefore to inspect the children and had to release them. In fact, State officials were acting on a warrant issued by another judge after they presented evidence that included a previous ruling by Judge Mahady in a child custody case. In that case, Judge Mahady ruled in May 1983 that the four children involved ''have been subjected to frequent and methodical physical abuse by adult members of the community''for ''minor disciplinary infractions." The Twelve Tribes is continuing their practice of lying to the outside world and attempting to rewrite history.

In contrast, with your critical thinking (reasoning) hats on, listen to what Michael Painter and James Howell have to say about the raid in the video below. But let's start with the origin of the abuse, Elbert Eugene Spriggs:First example: Below are quotes from Spriggs' Execution of Justice Teaching:“Unless your son has blue wounds, by this standard, you know what kind of a standard is in you — it is the spirit that hates your son. If one is overly concerned about his son receiving blue marks you know that he hates his son and hates the word of God.” No date – Execution of Justice – Page 1

“Tell Hannah that Hephzibah (name Marsha and Spriggs gave Lydia when they took her away from her father and mother) is like Paul and says: “From now on let no one cause me trouble for I bear on my body the brand marks of Yahshua.” They are blue and she is receiving her discipline. She is growing up to be that last generation, being prepared, even in her nervous system, to be in that hour of supreme demand. Love Elbert.” - Elbert Spriggs, Execution of justice,Page 4

"Hephzibah is coming to understand that she is living for her father and belongs to him. The other day she was having great difficulty being obedient to his command: not to suck her thumb in bed. Elbert asked her to stick out her thumb because he was going to cut it off. He took a huge pair of scissors and came toward her. She was terrified, but (after receiving her discipline) she willingly stuck out her thumb to be cut off rather than let it cause her to stumble in her obedience to her father." - Elbert Spriggs, Execution of justice,Page 4

Below is the eighth video from an interview Channel 5 had with two high ranking defectors of the Twelve Tribes.

Example number two of the Leadership not the sheep abusing children:

Eddie Wiseman beat a 13 year old girl for 7 hours. This was a practice the TT started called "scourging" to break the will of a child. The father, Roland Church was forced to watch this take place. The next day, he took his children and left the Twelve Tribes after spending many years there. The following video has the testimony of both Roland and his daughter.

Example number three:

Eddie Wiseman was the Elder of the community where Michael Painter was one of his "Deacons". Eddie told Michael he needed to go support his wife in what she was doing. Michael found out his wife was told to "scourge" their 18 month old baby. She had broken 25 "balloon sticks" on the baby's body and was still beating her to make her "break". This was how Yoneq (Spriggs) and Eddie Wiseman (Yoneq's second in command) were "teaching" even the leaders within the TT to administer this teaching.

I have read so many examples from other ex-members in addition to the stories above. It is heart wrenching to hear a father lament over having to beat his child until marks were left on his body against his conscience because he felt he was submitting his will to God. The guilt and anguish still rest deeply in this man's soul. It is not acceptable to point the finger at the sheep. It was the leaders, Yoneq and Wiseman that made up these methods of abuse and lead by example on how to administer them. It is Elbert Eugene Spriggs that needs to stand in front of the entire Twelve Tribes and the World and repent for his actions.The child abuse committed by Spriggs and his followers was a horrible thing. However, the more terrifying issue is that one man, Elbert Eugene Spriggs, was able to, with the stroke of a pen, cause loving parents to abuse their babies and small children. If he can do this, what else is he capable of talking these people into doing? The Twelve Tribes Media arm has started to put the following quote on their video and printed propaganda:

"Why do the people with the "right" doctrine persecute and kill the people with the "wrong" doctrine and not the other way around?

I asked one of the leaders of the TT Parchment press this question in my open letter published yesterday, "Are you proposing, persecuting and killing Christians next? I don't mean to be an alarmist, but, coercive control groups such as yours have done much worse. So maybe an alarm needs to be raised?"

It is very scary to think what Spriggs could convince his follower's to do. He has already convinced them to follow his commands without question. He has already proven they will do this. One of his teachings or commands is that his group does not have to obey or submit to the authority of the government if it conflicts with what God is telling them to do (via Spriggs teachings of course). They refer to this as a "moral" verses "legal" decision in which the "moral" will always outweigh the legal. They use double talk in that they will uphold the biblical teaching that all government has been put in place by God and therefore must be obeyed. The disclaimer is that is true only if the "moral" verses "legal" conflict does not exist. This group needs very close scrutiny. It is very far down a dangerous path that far too often we have witnessed only after the fact and then asked ourselves, "Why didn't we see that coming? Why didn't anyone say anything? Where was the red flag?"I am Voice - Here is my red flag:

10 comments:

Anonymous
said...

A comment on video number two:I'd had my suspicions for awhile, but after seeing the brief interview with Roland Church, I realized for certain that he and his wife are still members of the TT. They currently reside in the Bellows Falls community. He goes by the name Manasseh, and runs his farrier business throughout southeastern Vermont. Nowhere in the "official" story of the Darlynn Church affair is it mentioned that her parents returned to the group afterwards. VOR and others, what do you make of this?

Roland is like so many who have suffered from post traumatic stress and battered spouse syndrome, they return to get abused all over again. They leave and return, leave and return. If it benefits the TT, they are welcomed back. In Roland's case, to get him to come back and take back everything he said against Wiseman and Spriggs and the TT was a big feather in their caps. Have you thought about how allowing him to come back is so contrary to Spriggs' teachings and how other members who have left and spoken against the Edah have been handled?

The TT would say it is proof he was never telling the truth. Would you say the same about an abused wife who returns to her husband of 15 years? I wouldn't. She was still abused.

Voice- Wow, I had never thought of it that way before. Your right about the abuse allogations. Those who leave can't ALL be "disgruntal ex-employees" making up stories and lies. And even if they were, how odd that they all seem to have very similar accounts of deciet, abuse, and bad government. I only pray that current tribe members who get to see your sight will see just how many seem to aggree on the many problems within the community. Thier answer to outsiders who question thier lifestyle is consistantly "come and stay a few days, see the life, live the life" well these testimonies are from those who have "lived the life" and they all point to something being really wrong.--divine interuption

I drove with Michael to Boston one time and could tell something was "up" with him. James also seemed like he wasn't too happy. I liked them both (well actually most everyone). It amazing to hear what was really going on from their testimonies.

I knew Roland Church and his family. We lived in the Maples together. I joined the community in 1985 after the raid. He had returned. Darlyn left and stayed out. Her sister Faith married Jonah, a guy I worked with on ODD JOBS with Jarvis and Paul Koch.

Thanks for keeping us ex's informed. I didn't realize all that was going on since I left. I still had hopes that they might be the "ones" after all. A conversation with Bill Mehr (Lev) opened my eyes first.

Thanks Daniel. If you would like to have your personal testimony published, please send me an email and we can work it. I have a few ex-members who are working on doing this now. I think it is important for prospective new members, current members and ex-members to hear testimonies from those who left the Twelve Tribes.

Thank you for all your hard work on this site. Please know your information is intervention and making a difference with current,prospective, x-members, and those observing in the community.I considered 'the life' in community.Your information has helped me come to my senses.Graciously appreciative!

Regardless of past abuses, which I'm not qualified to comment on, what I have seen in the Twelve Tribes for the past 17 years when visiting or living in the Tribes, has been much love for the children. One brother admitted to me that the community has made many mistakes in the past that they regret. It is now emphasized to encourage a child 100x more than they are disciplined. I want to see the Twelve Tribes be the best they can be for God and society. Like many ex-members, I've gone through times of being an enemy. But, what would Jesus do. Wouldn't he want us to help one-another and be kind. I see a lot of tearing down by ex-members who no longer have a desire to live and work daily together or gather together in prayer with one-another. No ex-member has shown me a more meaningful life. Instead of being enemies toward the communities, let's be a friend, and be there for one-another. These ex-member sites are not giving an accurate view of daily life in the 12 Tribes. I'm not excusing any past failures where they actually occurred. But what is there in any of us, that would want to tear the communities apart? Think about why we joined to begin with. Is there any Yahshua/Jesus left in us?

Place a checkmark beside all items that characterize the group in question. If you check many of these items, and particularly if you check most of them, you might consider examining the group more closely.

The above check list comes from Dr. Michael Langone, editor of Cultic Studies Journal, and often characterize manipulative groups. Dr. Langone suggest prospective recruits and family members compare these statements to the group. If one or more of these apply to your group you may have a cause for concern. I say, if all apply as in the case of the Twelve Tribes, you should repent (turn 180 degrees) and run.

Discussion Board

Would you like to leave the Twelve Tribes but don"t know where to go?

If you were considering joining the TT, did the information here change your mind?

You can live a happy life outsite of the Twelve Tribes

"I realized today that it's exactly 3 years since I left the community. There have been times that I have really struggled because healing is a much slower process than indoctrination but I can finally say yes, you can leave and live a happy life."

Ex-member

Video Testimonies

The following are videos from a very brave women who documents her story on You-Tube - Ully is from Germany but she lived in a TT community in France. Listen carefully how she is "love-bombed" when first arriving to the TT.

Twelve Tribes Propaganda - French Video

Yoneq - Just another brother?

"We must see that it is Yoneq's spirit holding our community together. If we resist then it is hard to function in community. Resistance makes life miserable. Subtle rebellion disables Yoneq from functioning as an apostle. If we pick apart our leaders it makes it hard to rule. The work will go forward with cooperation. But if you resist authority the work ceases. We must be loyal to Yoneq and his anointing. " -Apostolic Workers Meeting 6/13/88

Peacemaker Video

Are you just unsubstantial chaff?

"Some leave, of course. Some end up blaming everyone but themselves for it. But most stay. This life is a threshing floor, specifically designed by our Father to separate the wheat from the chaff. Beat it, throw it up in the wind...the wheat falls at our Master's feet and stays here, while the wind blows the unsubstantial chaff away." - David Derush, Internet Voice of the TT

Lake of the Ozarks CO Mealtime - USA

Loneliness

“You will find yourself looking forward to the Friday night meals and the short time after breaking of bread because you are just so incredibly lonely, and these are the few times you'll have to spend sitting and talking to the people you live with. The rest of the time you will be working or at gatherings or trying to make up for the continuous lack of sleep.”Ex TT Member

Community in Germany

Free to love and be loved?

"When you go to a friend and pour out your heart because you just found out that the shepherd you trusted with your life has lied to you, a friend would talk it through with you and give you advice not pretend to sympathize with you and then go and betray your confidence by going straight to another shepherd and telling them exactly what you said resulting in you once again being hauled over the coals and being told you just need to die. Of course nothing was said to the shepherd who lied."- Ex TT Member

Merrymakers Dance - USA

Trust?

“After your baptism you will discover that much of the spontaneous worship that attracted you to the community is contrived. Your told to give a resounding "Amen" to a few who dominate the gatherings with their long winded intellectual musings completely disconnected from the reality of the life. You'll discover you've put your trust in people who tell you they are spiritual and will shepherd you into a spiritual life only to find yourself ignored and avoided and any problems you have completely trivialized.”Ex TT Member

Lake of the Ozarks CO - USA

Deception may be moral?

“Lying is more than intentional deception. Telling the truth may cause serious harm to an innocent party. Such intentional deception may be moral and must be determined by judging if someone has a moral right to know the truth for justice sake” - Yoneq, “Phase 2 – Lying” 11/29/1988

Vista California Community - USA

Blind Obedience?

“In making these statements we are not interested in seeking revenge or trying to be a disgruntled ex member but to inform people so they can make a choice based on facts. We know that the Tribes will never change as long as Elbert Eugene Spriggs is the sole uncontested leader. Spriggs may write new teachings or they may live in new places or they may wear their hair different or wear different clothes but the basic theme will be obedience to him and his teachings.”James Howell Spriggs personal secretary for 10 years - 1/23/93

San Sebastian Community - Spain

"Before I joined I asked several key questions to the elders. They lied to me because they wanted me to join and I was not able to "handle the truth yet". They told me Yoneq was just another member. What I was told when I left was that Yoneq was considered to be equal to the apostle Paul and as such his teachings were considered on par with the Bible. Before I was kicked out and left on the otherside of the world in a hotel that sold pornography on the front counter (the hotel was chosen by an elder) I asked many of my concerns about the TT teachings to many of the "elders'. I received answers like "I find it really hard to believe myself' or "if you don't have faith then cling onto somebody else's faith". That is not where I wanted to be after living there for 20 years." - Ex TT Member

Rutland Vermont Festival - USA

"The teachings the Tribes follow are like a mystery wrapped in a riddle inside an enigma." - Ex TT Member

Lancaster NH Community - USA

“We don’t want people to destroy their lives like we did. Most Tribes members know James and I- or at least our names. We don’t want people to waste many years in the Tribes like us and not enjoy a normal life and relationship with their natural families. The normal life that people enjoy previous to joining the Community will be destroyed and turned upside down.”Michael Painter, Former Fourth in Command of TT after spending 15 years in TT – 1/23/93

Common Loaf Bread Stand - UK

Do you need to be "programmed"?

“Who will suffer unjustly by your knowledge? We must judge these things right so our conscience can be programmedright.” Yoneq, “Phase 2 – Lying” 11/29/1988

Stentwood Farm UK

Friends? Love?

"Just because we left does not mean we are insincere. I too loved the life I had in the community I still do and I miss it. everyday it's on my mind I can't let go of it. I really felt like I'd found my true home at last, however, after a while I came to realize the life I heard about was not the life I was living. the people I lived with were sadly not the best friends I ever had. Friends are people who love you for who you are without wanting to change everything about you, you can go to friends when you're having a bad day pour out your heart and know that they're going to give you a hug and tell you everything’s going to be ok not summon the shepherds and spend hours lecturing you that you just need to die."- Ex TT Member

Buenos Aires Community

Not telling the truth is not a lie?

“We are obligated by our conscience and the Holy Spirit to always tell the truth. What constitutes the truth? Not telling the truth (in certain cases) is not a lie then. Truth is truth. Not telling the truth to someone who doesn't deserve the truth isn't lying.” - Yoneq, “Phase 2 – Lying” 11/29/1988

Curitiba Farm - Brazil

Is Yoneq at War with the U.S. Government?

“Will the government have right to know when we flee? We aren't obligated to them - do we have to ask permission? There is a vast difference between concealing a matter and telling a lie and deliberately misleading the enemy during warfare.” - Yoneq, “Phase 2 – Lying” 11/29/1988

Sus House

Not telling the truth glorifies God?

“It is the glory of YHWH to conceal a matter. Prov. 25:2 This adds discretion and wisdom to our life and the apostolic teaching.” .” – Yoneq, “Phase 2 – Lying” 11/29/1988

Asheville NC - USA

Devotion to Family?

“Although it has been difficult at times since I have been "in the world" and there have been times when I wish I had more time with him, I would not trade the time I have had with my son for the life of the TT. My opinion is that the ways of the TT are very hard on families. They hold them in high regard in word but not in deed. Although there are some that would say that I am just a disgruntled ex-member who has a skewed view of the way things were, that is my experience. While I appreciate that the TT helped me in ways that I may not have been able to help myself at the time, I do not think it is an ideal place to try and raise a family.” Ex-member

Hamburg NY - USA

Where do you go during the storms of life?

House in Ithaca NY - USA

The TT is not accountable to the government?

“At the Raid, the state didn't have the right to have the names of the elders and the children to carry out a grossly unlawful scheme.” - Yoneq, “Phase 2 – Lying” 11/29/1988

TT Merrymakers Caravan

Peace of Mind?

"After you join the community, you do not think, nor do you make decisions. You must submit, the guilt is so strong."-Melinda Horton Former Member

Ithaca NY Community Members - USA

Freedom or Control?

"The Twelve Tribes were certainly controlling my life, in every aspect. I mean they were controlling my physical existence, they were controlling what I did day to day, they were controlling me financially, and in the end they were also controlling my wife and getting information out of her to help control me even more." - Ex-Member from Australia

Nelson Community - Canada

Nelson Mt Sentinel Community - Canada

True Hypcrisy

What prompted me to leave in the end was the hypocrisy that I saw in Christianity was even more so in the Twelve Tribes, because although they would point at Christianity and say, ‘Look at them, they are not loving one another’, what I found within the community, once you really learnt what they were doing is there wasn’t a whole lot of love there, there was a whole lot of fear and there were the people with the haves and the have-nots. And to quote Animal Farm, ‘We are all equal, but some are ore equal than others’, and that’s exactly what I saw in the Twelve Tribes. - Ex-Member for Australia

Truth?

“Our definition of lying means the intentional deception of those who had a right to know.” – Yoneq, “Phase 2 – Lying” 11/29/1988

Gene and Marsha in the Early Days

Happy days in Ashville NC

"Pondering the thought of leaving, I asked a fellow Community leader (Timothy Pendergrass) about the identity of the Elijah. Was John the Baptist the Elijah, the prophet, the children or the adults? Tim handed me a teaching on the subject which I read all night. In the morning I said in a questioning tone this sounds like Gene is the Elijah. Tim responded with “you finally see.” I brought a question to him, I wasn’t saying I see Gene is the Elijah. Gene Spriggs authored the teaching and proclaimed himself the Elijah to come in the last times." Michael Painter left the TT after 18 years.

Religious Cults and Sects » Twelve Tribes / Community of Believers / Messianic Community / Northeast Kingdom Community Church / The New Apostolic Order in Messiah / The Church in Island Pond / The Communities

Twelve Tribes Communities Around the World

Each link below will take you to a write-up of that particular Twelve Tribe Community. This directory is hosted on the "Intentional Communities" website which is a secular organization which also advertises for communities such as "Wild Magic" and an all lesbian community called "She Farm" as well as nudist communes. Yoneq teaches against what he called Christianity "riding on the back of Babylon" so why would the TT become yolked with such an organization? One common theme you will note is a discussion of the "love" they all share and an invitation to "come visit" without any real information about their beliefs (see Truth in Advertising article)